Glass restoration apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A damaged glass surface restoring tool comprises a replaceable, hermetically sealed container of glass fluid restoring substance aligned within a vacuum chamber perpendicularly to the glass surface. A method of restoring a damaged glass surface creates a vacuum in a chamber aligned over a crack in the glass and applying to the crack a glass restoring substance there before unexposed to air in a straight line path of application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the art of glass repair and restorationand more particularly to the art of restoring the surface of damagedglass and glass-like objects to their original condition by the use ofvitreous substances.

Description of the Prior Art

In the past, it has been known to provide apparatuses to infuse vitreoussubstances in liquid, fluid form into cracks, scratches, chips, pits,holes, divots and like damage sustained by glass and glass-likesurfaces, where the liquid substance after infusion is hardened or curedto substantially the same hardness as the glass being restored. Suchdamage is often sustained by automobile windshields when rocks andsimilar debris are thrown by wind or adjacent motor vehicles's tires.Typically, the restoring substance is inserted into the crack, scratch,chip, pit, hole, divot or the like, the surface is smoothed to coincidewith the surface being restored, and the substance is allowed to set orto harden by curing. One such apparatus, and a method for using such anapparatus is shown, for an example, in Werner, et al., U.S. Pat. No.3,993,520.

One of the problems experienced in restoring damaged glass is thepresence of air bubbles and pockets finding their way into the vitreoussubstance before curing has completed. Apparatuses and methods forovercoming this problem have been shown which essentially provide adegree of vacuum over and within the crack, chip, scratch, hole, pit,divot or the like while inserting the substance in fluid form. See, forexample, Boyle, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,203. Hereinafter in thisspecification, the term “crack” will be used to describe and include alllike damage, such as, in addition to rough and smooth cracks, chips,scratches, pits, holes, divots, unintended indents and the like to theglass unless specifically stated otherwise. Similarly, the term “glass”will be used to refer to not only glass in its normal definition, butalso to glass-like material, such as plastics and other vitreousmaterial that are like glass in physical property or appearance.

The use of such apparatuses and methods requires the infusing of a fluidsubstance such as a resin or vitrescent through the apparatus and intothe crack, where the substance cures or hardens into the desiredlocation. After each such use, a new volume of the fresh liquid, fluidsubstance must be inserted or re-charged into the apparatus for the nextuse, and indeed again and again prior to each of all subsequent uses.Between each such use of the apparatus, the new volume of the freshliquid substance, e.g. resin inserted or re-charged into the apparatusfor its next use is exposed to air, and however slight, a curinginevitably begins. In those instances where a re-charge has beenaccomplished a length of time prior to actual use of the apparatus, thecuring can be advanced. Premature curing can clog the apparatus, and caninterfere with the application of the restoring substance. The resultingoutcome of the restoring process can even be affected so that afterfinishing, the result will not be what is desired. If the effect issubstantial, the ability to see clearly through thenot-quite-so-restored glass may be detrimentally distorted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and amethod for restoring glass surfaces to an original, transparentcondition by infusing or inserting a fluid restoring material intocracks from a reservoir that is not exposed to air or other curingenvironments until immediately before the fluid substance is insertedinto the crack. It is a further object of the present invention toprovide an apparatus and method for receiving a restoring fluidsubstance for insertion into to cracks where the restoring substance isnot exposed to air or other curing environments until the substance isinjected into the cracks. It is yet a further object of the presentinvention to provide hermetically sealed containers or cartridgescontaining the fluid restoring substance which are openable onlyimmediately prior to insertion of the substance into the crack in theglass to be restored. It is yet another object of the present inventionto provide an apparatus for inserting fluid restoring substance intocracks of glass to be restored in a straight line directly into thecracks and where the fluid restoring substance is hermetically sealeduntil the insertion is initially commenced.

SUMMARY

In brief, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, aglass crack repair tool is provided having an interior space to bepositioned directly on to a glass surface and comprising an airextractor within the interior space which defines, with the glasssurface and the interior space, a hermetically sealed chamber thatextends generally perpendicularly from the crack. A charged, sealedcartridge containing a fluid, glass restoring substance is inserted intothe chamber prior to fixing the interior space to the glass surface. Thecartridge is unsealed and aligned within the chamber to be substantiallyperpendicular to the glass surface at the location of the crack. Acartridge extruder is provided capable of extruding the fluid substancefrom the cartridge. A method for restoring a crack in a glass is alsodescribed comprising positioning a repair tool having an air extractoragainst a glass surface to create a sealed chamber, wherein a cartridgecontaining a restoring substance is inserted within the chamber prior tofixing the repair tool against the glass surface, extracting air fromthe chamber to create a degree of vacuum within the chamber, andextruding the fluid restoring substance from the cartridge and into thecrack through the vacuum chamber by way of a substantially straight linepath from the cartridge to the crack.

These and other novel aspects of the present invention, together withother aspects thereof, can be better understood by the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiments, which are designed tobe read in conjunction and together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a repair tool apparatus of the preferredembodiment of the present invention being positioned onto a damagedsurface;

FIG. 2 is perspective view of the preferred embodiment with the repairtool fixed on the damaged surface of FIG. 1, having portions cut awayfor clarity of view;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention of FIGS. 1 and 2 having the component parts exploded forclarity;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 2 having half of the repair tool cutaway to show interior detail;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view having half of the repair tool cut awayas seen in FIG. 4 showing air being extracted from a chamber in theoperation of one aspect of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view having half of the repair tool cut awayas seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 showing restoring substance being inserted inaccordance with one aspect of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention; and,

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view having half of the repair tool cut awayfor clarity of view showing an extraction and replacement of a cartridgein accordance with one aspect of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A repair tool 10 is shown in proximity to a crack 12 in a windshield 14of an automobile 16, reference being had initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 ofthe accompanying drawings where reference numerals used herein refer tolike reference numerals in the drawings. In FIG. 1, the tool 10 is shownbeing positioned in the direction of arrow 32 over the crack 12. In FIG.2, the tool 10 is shown in greater detail and positioned fixed on thewindshield 14, where some portions of the tool 10 are depicted cut awayfor clarity in understanding the apparatus 10.

In FIG. 2, the tool 10 is shown fixed to the windshield 14 by thesuction cups 18 of a three-prong base mount 20 comprised of threesuction cups 18, one each attached to each of the three prongs. A vacuumcup 22 is shown having a vacuum cup extension 24.

Referring now to FIG. 2 and to FIG. 3, where the tool 10 is shown inexploded view to show in greater detail all of the component parts oftool 10 as well as some additional parts for ease in understanding theinvention, the vacuum cup extension 24 has threads on its outside, whichare complemental to threads in the hole 25 through the base mount 20.The threaded extension 24 is received by threaded fastening with thecomplemental threads of hole 25 of the base mount 20 to secure not onlythe extension 24 to the base mount 20, but also to secure the vacuum cup22 which is integral with the vacuum cup extension 24. The vacuum cup 22has an interior space 26 within its upper portion. The extension 24 hasattached to its lower extremity a lower lip 30 in the form of an O-ring.The vacuum cup 24 and its extension 24 have a common, coaxial interiorspace which will be described and shown in greater detail below. Thevacuum cup 22 has mounted and fixed at its upper end a vacuum cup cap34.

The vacuum cup cap 34 has a central circular open interior havingthreads. An air extractor 38 has threads on its outside complemental tothe threads of the opening in vacuum cup cap 34. The air extractor 38has an air extractor top handle 40 which is mounted and fixed to the topof air extractor 38, so that when the top handle 40 is turned, the airextractor 34 is turned exactly the same in the same rotary direction. Anair extractor top handle cap 42 is designed to fit and be placed atopthe top handle 40, as will be described and shown in greater detailbelow.

The air extractor 38 has an air extractor extension 44 integral with andextending below the air extractor 38. The air extractor extension 44 hasan air extractor O-ring 46 around its lower end shaped to engage andprovide an air seal with the interior space of the lower portion of thevacuum cup extension 24. The air extractor extension 44 and the airextractor 38 have a common, coaxial cylindrical interior space whichwill be described and shown in greater below.

A cartridge extruder 48 comprises a cartridge extruder head 50 connectedto a cartridge extruder plunger 52. The extruder plunger 52 is designedto fit, and to pass through an opening in the air extractor top handlecap 42.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 3, a cartridge 56 has a cartridge cap 66which holds or seats a bulb-like piston 58, which is capable of beingdislodged or unseated downwardly. At its other end, the cartridge 56 hasa cartridge O-ring 62 for fitting within the interior space of the airextractor 38 and its extension 44. The cartridge 56 will be charged withthe fluid restoring substance until it is fitted within the tool 10.Until the cartridge 56 is fitted within the tool 10, as will bedescribed in greater detail below, the end 64 will have an easilyremovable covering 60 such as a thin plastic with an adhesive around itsedge to hold the fluid substance inside the cartridge 56.

In FIG. 4 the commencement of the operation of repairing and restoringthe damaged glass 14 is shown. The base mount 20 is attached by suctioncups 18 to the windshield 14, and the vacuum cup 22 is screwed by virtueof turning the vacuum cup extension 24 through the base mount hole 25,seen better in FIG. 2, until the lip 30 engages the windshield 12 andmakes a seal around the crack 12. Initially, the air extractor 38 withits integral extension 44 is inserted into the interior space 26 of thevacuum cup 22, until the further end of the extension 44 abuts thevacuum cup extension lip 30. The vacuum cup cap 34 is fixed onto thevacuum cup 22 by first threading the cap 34 onto the air extractor 38 atits upper end. The vacuum cup cap 34 is then fixed to the vacuum cup 22,so that by turning the vacuum cup cap 34 the vacuum cup 22 will turn inthe same rotary direction. The air extractor top handle 40 then is fixedonto the air extractor 38. Similarly, turning the air extractor tophandle 40 will turn the air extractor 38 in the same rotary direction.The cartridge 56 has been charged with the fluid substance which is tobe injected into the crack 12. The thin plastic seal 60 at the end 64 ofthe cartridge 56 is removed and the cartridge 56 is inserted into theinterior space of the air extractor 38 to the level where the airextractor extension 44 begins. The air extractor top handle cap 42 iscapped onto the air extractor handle 40. At this point, the windshield12, the vacuum cup extension 24 with the air extractor extension 44therein, and the cartridge 56 define an interior space or chamber 28that is hermetically sealed. The cartridge O-ring seal 62 seals thechamber 28 to prevent any air from escaping through the upper portion ofthe interior of the air extractor 38. The resulting positioning alignsthe axis of the cylindrical cartridge 56 coaxially with the vacuum cup22 and its cylindrical interior space 26 as well as with the cylindricalinterior of air extractor 38, and this alignment is substantiallyperpendicular to the surface 14, so that there is a direct path or linefor the flow of the fluid substance from the cartridge 56 to the crack12. In addition, the flow will be substantially perpendicular to thesurface 14.

In FIG. 5, the next step in the operation of restoring the windshield 14is shown. By turning the air extractor top handle 40 in thecounter-clockwise direction of the arrow 72, the air extractor 38 ismoved relative to the vacuum cup 22 upwardly in the direction of arrow74. This action expands the hermetical chamber 28 as the air extractorextension 44, integral with the air extractor 38, is moved upwardly aswell. Note in this regard that the air extractor O-ring 46 seals thechamber 28 and prevents any air escape around the air extractorextension 44. The chamber 28, being thus hermetically sealed, has adegree of vacuum established therein.

In FIG. 6, the next step in the operation of restoring the damagedwindshield 14 is shown, where the cartridge extruder plunger 52 of thecartridge extruder 48 is inserted through the opening in the airextractor top handle cap 42. The cartridge extruder head 50 is plungeddownwardly in the direction of arrow 76 so that the end of the cartridgeextruder plunger 52 engages the cartridge piston 58 to dislodge it fromthe cartridge cap 66 to engage and force the fluid restoring substancetherein downwardly and out through the cartridge end opening 64, and toflow into the chamber 28, all in the direction of the arrows 70 and intothe crack 12 of the windshield 14 in a direct, straight line or path.

In FIG. 7, the next step in the operation of restoring the damagedwindshield 14 is shown where cartridge extruder 48 is removed along withthe air extractor top handle cap 42. The air extractor top handle cap 42and the cartridge extruder 48 may be installed and/or removed as a unit;that is to say, the cap 42 and the extruder 48 may be handled separatelyor together as a unit. Further, the tool 10 is removed from itsengagement with the windshield 14 either by separating the suction cups18 from the windshield 14, or by screwing the vacuum cup extension 24 inthe counter-clockwise direction and lifting the vacuum cup 22 and theassembly associated with it upwardly.

The then discharged cartridge 56 is removed from the tool 10 through theair extractor top handle 40 as shown in the direction of arrow 78. Thespent cartridge 56 may be discarded, or may be re-charged with the fluidsubstance with which the crack has now been filled. A user of thepresent invention may keep a supply of charged cartridges 56 for quickand ready re-use of the tool 10. In such storage the fluid restoringsubstance will be kept sealed hermetically from contaminants, and fromair and any other environment that might commence curing. Thecomposition of the substance used in this restoration or repair processis not a part of the present invention herein. The composition of thesubstance used may be any desired resin or vitrescent or of any vitreouscomposition that will harden and cure as has been used in the past torestore glass surfaces and as are well known to those skilled in theart.

By using the foregoing steps, it may be appreciated that an apparatus isprovided that allows for applying a restoring fluid substance to repairor restore a damaged glass surface such as a windshield 14, directly ina straight line from a supply of the fluid restoring substance, such asa cartridge 56 having a supply of the restoring substance, directly to adamage such as a crack 12 in the glass surface such as a windshield 14.The fluid substance is maintained within a sealed container such ascartridge 56, hermetically sealed from any exposure to air or any otherenvironment that would start the curing process, and is continued to beso maintained until the fluid restoring substance is instantly conveyedto the damaged area through another hermetically sealed path or conduitcreated by creating a vacuum in that path, such as chamber 28, to thedamaged area. Modifications may be perceived by those skilled in the artwhich will accomplish the same objectives as shown herein.

The foregoing detailed description of my invention and of preferredembodiments as to products, compositions and processes, is illustrativeof specific embodiments only. It is understood, however, that additionalembodiments may be perceived by those skilled in the art. Theembodiments described herein, together with those additionalembodiments, are considered to be within the scope of the presentinvention.

I claim:
 1. A repair tool for repairing a crack in a surface, said toolcomprising: a. a vacuum cup defining a chamber having an open enddefined by a lip; b. positioning means for positioning said chamber withsaid lip hermetically sealed against said surface to create a spacedefined by said chamber and said surface; c. extracting means includinga selectively moveable air extractor positioned within said vacuum cupfor extracting air pressure from said chamber when said chamber ispositioned against said surface, for creating a degree of vacuum withinsaid space defined by said chamber and said surface; d. cartridge meansfor containing a supply of a fluid substance, said cartridge meansincluding a replaceable cartridge integrally positioned within andconcurrently moved with said air extractor, said cartridge including anexit opening and positioned to enable said fluid substance to beextruded therethrough in a substantially straight line to said crackwherein when said selectively movable air extractor with its integralcartridge is moved, a selected degree of vacuum is created in said spacedefined by said chamber and said surface; and, e. extruding meanspositioned in proximity to said cartridge means for controllablyextruding said substance into said crack through said selected degree ofvacuum, said extracting means including plunger means including anextruder plunger for plunging a piston through said cartridge whereinsaid chamber is not exposed to external air pressure when said extrudingmeans is plunged through said cartridge.
 2. The repair tool of claim 1wherein said surface is slightly curved.
 3. The repair tool of claim 2wherein said slightly curved surface is a windshield.
 4. The repair toolof claim 1 wherein each of said chamber and said cartridge iscylindrical in shape and has an axis, and wherein when said cartridge isassembled in said chamber, each of said axes is coincidental with theother axis.
 5. The repair tool of claim 4 wherein when said cartridge isassembled within said chamber, said axes are substantially perpendicularto said surface.
 6. The repair tool of claim 5 wherein said cartridgefurther includes a piston and wherein said extruding means includes anextruder plunger positioned to engage said piston when said cartridge isassembled within said chamber, whereby when said extruder plunger isplunged, said substance is inserted into said crack in a straight linesubstantially perpendicular to said surface.
 7. The repair tool of claim1 wherein said substance is a vitreous material that hardens when cured.8. The repair tool of claim 7 wherein said vitreous material comprises avitrescent.